Real Steel gallops on gamely for Munster National triumph

Real Steel rolled back the years with a front-running victory in the BoyleSports JT McNamara Munster National for local trainer Eric McNamara.

A dual Grade Two winner and sixth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup in 2020 for Willie Mullins, the 11-year-old subsequently enjoyed a spell with Paul Nicholls before being snapped up by McNamara for £27,000 two and a half years ago.

He gave his new connections a memorable day when claiming a shock 33-1 victory in the lucrative Paddy Power Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting two seasons ago, but had failed to add to his tally in eight subsequent starts, most recently finishing down the field in the Kerry National at Listowel.